Methyldopa (versus unexposed) updated on 03-11-2025

Preeclampsia

R analysis
id Study   Lib. in paper Exposition period    Study type 
 Control type 
 
Tags OR 95%CI x1/n1 x0/n0 no cases no exposed ROB Ref.
S17243
R72153		 Al Khalaf (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2022 Preeclampsia (based on read or ICD-10 codes) during pregnancy (anytime or not specified) retrospective cohort (claims database) unexposed, disease free excluded Adjustment: No Indications Antihypertensive: Only chronic hypertension indication 10.90 [9.65;12.30] C
excluded (control group) 		312/1,952   29,859/1,739,944 30,171 1,952
ref
S17244
R72160		 Al Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Preeclampsia (based on read or ICD-10 codes) during pregnancy (anytime or not specified) retrospective cohort (claims database) unexposed, sick Adjustment: No Indications Antihypertensive: Only chronic hypertension indication 1.58 [1.37;1.82] C 312/1,952   839/7,809 1,151 1,952
ref
S14364
R56882		 Orbach, 2013 Preeclampsia 3rd trimester retrospective cohort (claims database) unexposed, disease free Adjustment: Yes Indications Antihypertensive: All hypertensions, any indications or not specified 14.24 [10.43;19.45] 53/340   1,093/97,820 1,146 340
ref
S14371
R56907		 Weitz, 1987 Superimposed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy (anytime or not specified) randomized controlled trial unexposed, sick Adjustment: Randomisation Indications Antihypertensive: Only chronic hypertension indication 1.25 [0.24;6.44] C 5/13   4/12 9 13
ref
S14339
R56735		 Mabie, 1986 Superimposed preeclampsia during pregnancy (anytime or not specified) prospective cohort unexposed, sick Adjustment: No Indications Antihypertensive: Only chronic hypertension indication 1.05 [0.50;2.20] C 17/54   25/82 42 54
ref
Total 4 studies 2.46 [0.57;10.50] 2,348 2,359
x1: number of endpoints among exposed, n1: number of exposed; x0: number of endpoints among non exposed, n0: number of non exposed; C: calculated odds ratio from numbers of events and effectives

Forest plot

StudyTE95% CIn casesn exposedweightROBABCDEF Al Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022Al Khalaf, 2022 1 1.58[1.37; 1.82]1,1511,95227%ROB confusion: criticalROB selection: unclearROB classification: moderateROB missing: lowROB mesure: moderateROB reporting: moderate Orbach, 2013Orbach, 2013 14.24[10.43; 19.45]1,14634027%ROB confusion: criticalROB selection: lowROB classification: moderateROB missing: lowROB mesure: moderateROB reporting: moderate Weitz, 1987Weitz, 1987 1.25[0.24; 6.44]91320%ROB confusion: lowROB selection: unclearROB classification: lowROB missing: lowROB mesure: lowROB reporting: moderate Mabie, 1986Mabie, 1986 1.05[0.50; 2.20]425426%ROB confusion: criticalROB selection: moderateROB classification: unclearROB missing: unclearROB mesure: moderateROB reporting: moderate Total (4 studies) I2 = 98% 2.46[0.57; 10.50]2,3482,3590.550.01.0ROB: A: confusion, B: selection, C: classification, D: missing, E: measurement, F: reportinglow,moderate,serious,critical,unclear,

1: Controls unexposed, sick;

Sensitivity analysis

SubsetTE95% CIn casesn exposedkI2 Type of studies cohort studiescohort studies 2.91[0.56; 15.24]2,3392,34699%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Orbach, 2013 Mabie, 1986 3 case control studiescase control studies 0 RCTRCT 1.25[0.24; 6.44]913 -NAWeitz, 1987 1 Type of controls unexposed (disease free or unspecified)unexposed (disease free or unspecified) 14.24[10.43; 19.45]1,146340 -NAOrbach, 2013 1 unexposed, sickunexposed, sick 1.56[1.36; 1.79]1,2022,0190%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Weitz, 1987 Mabie, 1986 3 Tags Adjustment   - No  - No 1.52[1.21; 1.92]1,1932,00612%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Mabie, 1986 2   - Randomisation  - Randomisation 1.25[0.24; 6.44]913 -NAWeitz, 1987 1   - Yes  - Yes 14.24[10.43; 19.45]1,146340 -NAOrbach, 2013 1 Indications Antihypertensive   - All hypertensions, any indications ...  - All hypertensions, any indications or not specified 14.24[10.43; 19.45]1,146340 -NAOrbach, 2013 1   - Only chronic hypertension indication  - Only chronic hypertension indication 1.56[1.36; 1.79]1,2022,0190%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Weitz, 1987 Mabie, 1986 3 All studiesAll studies 2.46[0.57; 10.50]2,3482,35998%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Orbach, 2013 Weitz, 1987 Mabie, 1986 40.550.01.0

Publication bias and p-hacking diagnosis

funnel plot
0.0-3.23.21.0040.000Al Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022Orbach, 2013Weitz, 1987Mabie, 1986

Asymetry test p-value = NaN (by Egger's regression)

not enought points

p values plot
0.01.00.01.0

Sub-groups analysis using all included studies

excluded 17243

Sub-groupsTE95% CIn casesn exposedkI2ROB type of controls unexposed controls (disease free or unspecified)unexposed controls (disease free or unspecified) Out of scale11.97[9.32; 15.37]31,3172,29259%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2022 Orbach, 2013 2 unexposed, sick controlsunexposed, sick controls 1.56[1.36; 1.79]1,2022,0190%NAAl Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Weitz, 1987 Mabie, 1986 30.510.01.0

Umbrella review (other published meta-analyses)

Published MAControlPeriodTE95% CIn exposedkI2 Bellos (Preeclampsia (Randomized controlled t ...Bellos (Preeclampsia (Randomized controlled trial and Cohort studies)) 0.74[0.44; 1.24]NA-U,Sunexposed, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT-9 Bellos (Preeclampsia (Randomized controlled t ...Bellos (Preeclampsia (Randomized controlled trial only)) 0.54[0.24; 1.24]NA-U,Sunexposed, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT-9 Abalos (Proteinuria/pre-eclampsia (RCT versus ...Abalos (Proteinuria/pre-eclampsia (RCT versus no antihypertensive drugs/placebo)) 1.21[0.55; 2.64]0%-U,Sunexposed, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT2 Bone - GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION (Severe hyper ...Bone - GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION (Severe hypertension) Out of scale0.38[0.19; 0.70]34%-U,Sunexposed, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT-9 Bone - GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION (Severe hyper ...Bone - GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION (Severe hypertension (versus beta-blockers)) 1.32[0.79; 2.27]42%-Eexposed to other treatment, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT-9 Webster (Superimposed pre-eclampsia)Webster (Superimposed pre-eclampsia) 0.99[0.62; 1.58]0%-Eexposed to other treatment, sickAnyduring pregnancy (anytime or not specified)studies TTT4 metaPregmetaPreg 2.46[0.57; 10.50]98%2,359----Al Khalaf (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022 Orbach, 2013 Weitz, 1987 Mabie, 1986 40.510.01.0